A new 4-sulfated ceramide, ircisulfamide ( N-[(1S*,2S*,3R*)-2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(sulfooxy)-heptadecyl]hexadecanamide; 1), and a new glycosphingolipid, ircicerebroside ( (2R*)-N-{(1S*,2R*,3E,7E)-1-[(b-d-glucopyranosyloxy)methyl]-2-hydroxy-8-methylheptadeca-3,7-dienyl}-2-hydroxyeicosanamide; 2), were isolated from the aqueous EtOH extract of the marine sponge Ircinia fasciculata (Pallas). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and by means of chemical methods.Introduction. ± Different sphingolipids such as ceramide, sphingosine, and sphingosine-1-phosphate have been isolated from marine vertebrates, invertebrates, algae, and fungi etc. [1 ± 3]. These compounds have received increasing attention in the last years as some of their derivatives act as endogenous cell-function modulators and secondary messengers [4]. Sphingolipids have been shown to be potent and specific inhibitors of protein kinase C [5], Na-and K-ATPase, and calmodulin kinase, and to activate phospholipase C, phospholipase D, casein kinase II, tyrosine kinase, and DG kinase [6]. In addition, sphingolipids can also induce Ca 2 release [7], proliferate cells [8], protect human keratinocytes from apoptosis [9], suppress colon carcinogenesis in rats [10], and enhance apoptosis of radiation-resistant prostate cancer cells [11].In continuation of our search for potent bioactive secondary metabolites from the marine invertebrates [12 ± 14], a new 4-sulfated ceramide, ircisulfamide (1), and a new glycosphingolipid, ircicerebroside (2), were isolated from the aqueous EtOH extract of the marine sponge Ircinia fasciculata. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods.